Physical Sciences and Mathematics Commons^™

Can The Usa National Weather Service Heat Index Substitute For Wet Bulb Globe Temperature For Heat Stress Exposure Assessment?, Ivory Iheanacho

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Heat stress occurs when the body cannot adequately cool itself due to the combined contributions of metabolic heat, environmental factors and clothing. Heat stress found in the workplace puts employees at risk of developing heat-related illnesses, disorders and could be fatal. The wet bulb globe temperature (WBGT) index is the current method used to assess environmental contributions to heat stress in an occupational setting. The purpose of this thesis was to explore whether the National Weather Service's Heat Index (HI) could substitute for the WBGT Index during occupational heat stress exposure assessment. The possibility of using the HI for heat …